The present invention relates to a display/operation panel the layout of which can be changed freely by a user, and a washing machine mounted with the display/operation panel.
Full automatic washing machines which perform all the steps of washing automatically are mainstream as household washing machines. If a user presses a start button of such a full automatic washing machine, the washing machine estimates the amount of inputted washing, supplies necessary water, washes and dehydrates the washing on standard conditions which are prepared for the washing machine in advance. However, some pieces of washing do not suit such a washing manner which is the same all the time. Therefore, a plurality of operation buttons are provided so that washing courses can be selected in accordance with the kind of washing. Even in a standard course in which washing is performed on standard conditions, various conditions such as the time to wash, the number of times of rinsing, the time to dehydrate, and so on, can be set selectively.
With addition of a large number of functions to washing machine, a larger number of operation buttons and smaller printed characters have been arranged in a limited area on a display/operation panel for carrying out display and operation. Thus, it becomes difficult to read the characters and operate the operation buttons.
As a background art to solve such a problem, JP-A-9-84989 discloses a washing machine. In this washing machine, a display/operation panel in which a touch panel is disposed on a liquid crystal display is provided. Guide display for guiding instruction/operation and status display for showing a present status about the instruction/operation are made on the liquid crystal display. The shapes, sizes and positions of the guide display and the status display are defined in accordance with every screen to be displayed on the liquid crystal display. Screen data for all the display area of the liquid crystal display are prepared in the unit of screen so as to include image data of the guide display and the status display. A user touches the guide display to change over the data screen from one to another. Then, the user touches a desired one of a plurality of key areas (setting item display) displayed on the screen so as to set washing conditions and so on. In such a manner, the user sets the washing conditions and so on.
This is a so-called menu input system. That is, the user changes over the screen one after another as if the user turns over pages. When the user reaches a desired screen, the user touches a setting item display shown on the screen so as to input the washing operation, the washing conditions, and so on.
In the above-mentioned background art, a plurality of screen data for all the display area of the liquid crystal display are prepared in accordance with every screen. As a result, the memory capacity required for storing the screen data increases so that the memory capacity built in a microprocessor cannot cover all the screen data. Thus, an expensive external memory is needed.
Further, the shapes, sizes and positions of the guide display and the status display are determined in advance. Accordingly, in the case where a new washing function is to be added later, it is not easy to add and display the new washing function. In addition, it is not easy to change display characters and key areas to be displayed larger, or to delete unnecessary display characters or key areas from any screen.
Such a request of changing the display or the key area is required when the user becomes aged so that it is difficult for the user to read characters; when the user wants to change the arrangement design of the guide display or the status display because of personal preference; when the user wants to reverse the right and the left in the arrangement because of the user""s left-handed problem; or the like.
In addition, various functions are prepared in the washing machine to meet various requests of users. However, all the users do not use all the prepared functions. If display for unused functions is also made on the display/operation panel, or if key areas for unused functions are also provided on the display/operation panel, such unused functions obstruct effective use of the display area of the display/operation panel. Further, function selection (instruction/operation) may be complicated, a false operation may be caused, or the user may be confused. It is therefore preferable that display or key area is set into the functions required by the user. Also in this case, it is preferable that a series of display or key area setting associated with the functions required by the user are performed automatically without any conflict with one another.
It is an object of the present invention that capacity for display data on a display/operation panel can be reduced and a partial change in display contents of any screen displayed on the display/operation panel can be made easily.
Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide a convenient household appliance including a washing machine by realizing a display/operation panel which meets user""s demands in accordance with the aforementioned object.
Respective items displayed on the display/operation panel in which a pressure-type touch panel is disposed on the display surface are treated as parts (display image parts).
The relationship among a plurality of display image parts displayed on one screen is set as a display arrangement structure. Such a display arrangement structure may be specifically described as a tree structure which sets dependent and parallel relations of the respective display image parts.
Each display image part has information which is set with respect to display and operation. Specifically, the information for display may be constituted by image data information such as display position, size, start address of dot picture image data, etc., and specific dot picture image data. As for the information for operation, any item (display image part) having a key area (touch area) may be specifically described as an action script which instructs touch area information of the position and size of a touch area, and operation, together with the information for display.
A plurality of display arrangement structures are prepared in advance. By selecting one of the display arrangement structures, it is possible to make a desired display on the display/operation panel. In this case, it is not necessary to store information repeatedly about display image parts common to respective display arrangement structures. In addition, it is possible to change the layout on the display/operation panel easily by changing the display arrangement structure, or by preparing different display image parts.
If addition, deletion or modification is allowed to be made upon such prepared display arrangement structures or display image parts, it is possible to perform a different display later. Accordingly, a latest display improved in convenience of use can be performed on the display/operation panel, or washing and dehydrating operation suitable for new detergent or new clothes can be set and carried out.
According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce capacity for display data on the display/operation panel, and it is possible to easily make a partial change in the display contents of any screen displayed on the display/operation panel. In addition, it is possible to realize a display/operation panel meeting a user""s demand. Thus, it is possible to provide a convenient household appliance including a washing machine.